Replacing time sitting or lying down with frequent but short bouts of walking or household chores could benefit the health of older adults, research has found.

This could be particularly helpful to those who might be forced to self-isolate due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and who are struggling to keep up their fitness and activity levels as a result.

Usually, older adults tend to spend between 65-80% of their waking lives performing sedentary behaviour, such as sitting or lying down.

This is a concern as long periods of sedentary behaviour is often associated with serious health complications including obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many have been forced to shield or self-isolate in their homes for extended periods, with older individuals primarily being affected.

Researchers say this has only worsened the issue of people within this age group being increasingly inactive and putting pressure on their health.

However, a new study from Manchester Metropolitan University published in Frontiers in Physiology suggests that standing up every 30 minutes and performing two minutes of light activity could benefit those struggling to stay active and also improve the health of those over 70-years-old.

Researchers say this can help to increase bone mineral density and reduce levels of fat in the bloodstream.

But this new research also suggests that staggering activity and performing it regularly throughout the day as opposed to in one long bout, can have further health benefits.

The findings are especially relevant for older adults who are shielding, as activity can be done in the home with no equipment and with minimal effort

Dale Grant, Manchester Metropolitan PhD student and author of the study, said: “Barriers to engaging in exercise have massively increased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for older people who are among those who are most likely to have found themselves shielding and isolating at home.

“The closure of leisure facilities and lack of home exercise equipment has also played a part in this and as a result many older adults are now more sedentary and inactive than ever before, leaving them at higher risk of poor health outcomes.

“But there are ways in which these individuals can make a difference to their own health at home.

“Simply by replacing sedentary behaviour with simple activities such as stepping on the spot or doing the dishes, can improve health markers.

“What our research also tells us is that by frequently standing up and performing micro-bouts of  activity, so just a few minutes of activity regularly throughout the day, you will actually see additional benefits to your health.”

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